Cracking down on people who send abusive and inappropriate messages in the reference fields of bank transfers is not as simple as banning certain phrases or words, Bank of New Zealand says.
BNZ says it is watching those sending abusive messages when making sometimes dubious payments. Photo: RNZ / DOM THOMAS
BNZ has analysed statements over the last six months and found around 2000 monthly transactions that contained problematic use of payment reference fields, mostly containing swear words or other abuse.
The bank is now warning that it can see these types of payments and that it will act.
BNZ general manager for customer assistance Martin King said it could not always work out the context of payments but had found abusive payments generally fell into three categories.
These included foul use of language which could accompany otherwise relatively normal payments, hidden conversations and harassment and abuse, he said.
"We have one individual sending 40 messages over a six-month period begging to return to their ex-partner."
King said sometimes the reference fields were used as a way of contacting people.
"They go back and forth sometimes, and it could be foul use of language for a payment between friends but also it could be for just one cent and we'd be questioning why you'd be sending one cent to somebody."
King said the bank would contact those receiving such messages to check they were okay, when it detected them.
"We have one individual sending 40 messages over a six-month period begging to return to their ex-partner." - BNZ general manager customer assist, Martin King
"And if they're not okay then agreeing what we can do, whether that's changing bank accounts, whether that's coming up with options for them but also signposting them to experts that we've been working with as we've set this up such as [support agencies] Good Shepherd, Women's Refuge or Shine."
He said they will also contact those sending the messages to tell them that it is unacceptable and that their accounts will be closed if they continue.
Banning specific words and phrases, he said, was very difficult and besides that some of the more disturbing elements to the messages wasn't the language used, but its context and the patterns of behaviour.
"We'd rather look at the patterns of behaviour where it's multiple messages for very little amounts, sometimes a cent, and actually making an interaction with those customers and having a conversation."
One possibility the bank was looking at was to delete any references attached to legitimate payments before these reached the recipient, without causing friction in the payment system.